Warren Life
by bmo-galaxy
Summary: Slowly, but surely, Jack and Bunny get to see sides of each other that they show to no one. And together, they find love and understanding along the way. The other Guardians also become closer to their youngest member and together, they become a family.
1. Missing Brushes and Crisp Breezes

_Early-March_

To be honest, he was surprised he hadn't noticed it sooner. The subtle shift in the air that felt cooler. The ever so slight change in the floral scent of the Warren, now with an edge of crisp winter mornings. The way that the morning dew took a little longer to melt off, as if it had been half frozen in the night. A few paintbrushes missing here, a jar of paint or two disappearing there. Yes, it was definitely a surprise that he hadn't noticed the changes sooner. When he did, though, he immediately knew what— or rather, _who— _had caused it.

Jack Frost.

The smell of cool morning air and crisp leaves seemed to be as imprinted in the Warren's smell as the smell of lavender, grass, and paint; meaning that Jack had been in the eternal spring often over the course of many weeks. With a grim expression set on his face, Aster set out from his small cottage and began slowly making his way through his home. Having the winter spirit in the Warren without permission or supervision was _never _a good thing and Bunny could only imagine the kind of havoc the boy had caused during his time. Nightmares of wilted flowers and frozen dye rivers filled his mind and quickened his step.

Finding the winter child was easier than Bunnymund expected, considering how prominent his scent was. Riled up and ready to punish the little twerp, Bunny was surprised by the sight he happened upon. A few yards away, under the shade of his largest willow tree, Jack sat cross legged. His staff was left next to him, resting peacefully in the lush green grass. The boy's back was to him, but the Guardian of Hope could tell that he was hold something. A few egglets danced and scurried around the Guardian of Fun, while some seated themselves patiently next to his legs. Glancing to the right and left of the winter spirit, Bunny spotted the paintbrushes and paints that had gone missing from his stores. Taking a few steps forward, Bunnymund caught the sound of Jack's faint whispering.

"… and don't you worry, you're going to be _gorgeous _when I'm done with you. Prettiest little egg the kids have ever seen."

Sitting back, the snow child held the egg up into the light of the eternal sun. The bright orange paint shone beautifully on the egg. With a satisfied smile, Jack released the little egg on eager feet and watched for a moment as it waddled off to show off its bright new colors to its siblings. With a soft sigh, the sprite cleaned off the brush gently and carefully, not wanting to damage it before he returned it. Setting it down among the others he had swiped from Bunny, Jack looked at the dozen or so eggs he'd been able to paint today. He'd given each of them the same instructions he'd given the dozens he'd painted the days before: _Stay clear of Bunny until Easter so he doesn't wonder where you came from. _

Shaking his head gently, he turned to grab a smaller brush and another egg when movement caught the corner of his eye. Whipping around, he stared wide eyed at a speechless Bunny standing over him. His mouth fell open in a gape and snapped closed as he sputtered for something to say.

"I—um, sorry, hey Kangaroo, what's up?" he asked lamely, scratching the back of his neck nervously. His eyes moved to glance at the assortment of painted eggs and frost immediately crept along his cheeks and the bridge of his nose.

"Wha— what are you doin', Frostbite?" Bunny's voice came out soft and breathless, as if he couldn't understand what he was seeing. Which, in truth, he really couldn't.

Jack's posture seemed to relax, almost slump, when he answered. "I, uh, I'm painting eggs?" It came out as a question.

"I can see that, mate. What I mean is… Why?"

Jack shrugged halfheartedly and worried his lower lip gently as he stared distantly at the little egglets playing with each other in the grass.

"I didn't want it to happen again." he finally mumbled.

The Guardian of Hope cocked his head at that and raised a furry brow. What was he talking about?

Jack sighed at the confused look on the rabbit's face. He turned and curled his knees to his chest, resting his chin on them as he stared at the flowers in the distance.

"Last year I ruined Easter, and I know that this year you're working extra hard to make sure that everything goes well so that you gain all the believers back. And Tooth told me about the new chocolates you're testing with and North explained the different dyes you're experimenting with so that the color is brighter and last longer. And Sandy told me about how you aren't sleeping that much!" he exclaimed at the end, looking at Bunny with wide, concerned eyes. Upon seeing Bunny's shocked face, he once again curled away and continued.

"So I figured, you'd never want my help if I offered it because why would you want the one that ruined Easter to help you prepare for it? I decided to sneak in and paint a few eggs to try and lighten your load." He turned to Bunny again with wide eyes that spoke of panic and anxiety.

"I know that it isn't anywhere near enough to make up for how I screwed up last year and it doesn't even make a dent in your work load but, I just, I thought that I could try to help a little bit and maybe, then…" He stopped and took a deep, gasping breath before looking down.

Bunny took a small step toward the spirit. The Easter Bunny was shocked at the change he was witnessing in the bringer of fun. He'd never seen Jack look so unsure of himself, so insecure and anxious. He was used to prideful smirks and cocky comments. He'd never realized what a good actor Jack was. Bitterly, he remembered the three hundred years of solitude Jack had been subjected to. Plenty of time to learn how to fake a smile and force a convincing laugh.

"Maybe what, Jack?"

It was a moment before a mumbled answer reached his ears. "Maybe then you wouldn't hate me anymore."

Bunny could feel the words lance through his heart and leave spider web cracks. Looking down at the boy in front of him, the child in front of him, he felt his heart break with guilt. All the years left alone, invisible, with no one to support him and everyone telling him that no one needed him; they had left such a deep scar on Jack. So deep that a mere year as a guardian couldn't hope to heal it. Guilt was strong and heavy in his throat. Swallowing past the lump, Bunny stepped forward and sat next to Jack gently. He wrapped an arm around the curled spirit to pull the boy into his side.

"They're a real beaut', Jackie."

Jack's head whipped up to look at Bunny, his eyes full of fragile hope. "Really, you think so?"

Bunny nodded, not trusting his voice. Jack's smile was bright, true, and contagious as he looked proudly at the little googies bounding through the grass. And in that moment, under the cool shade, Bunny swore that he would heal that scar. Jack would never go a day without hearing that he was loved, appreciated, and wanted; again. And Jack would never, _ever, _be left alone again.

"It's going ta be the best Easter eva."


	2. Easter and Helping

_Early-April_

A long sigh echoed through the silence of the tunnel. Tired feet hopped slowly along, leaving small bursts of red poppies here and there. Aster was on the return trip to the Warren, having just finished delivering the last of his googies to the last of the egg hunts. He'd saved Burgess for last, leaving his prettiest little eggs for Jamie and his friends, knowing that they more than deserved it for their help last year. Easter had gone off without a hitch. He could feel the hope and laughter of the children singing through his veins and making him warm from his center. This was the part of Easter he loved the most.

This year had been one of the best, especially once Bunny saw that Jack wanted to help. The boy was in the eternal spring day in and day out for a little over two months now, only delivering snow storms and flurries at night. Jack helped paint eggs a few times, but his main jobs were those that Aster was too busy for during this season; he watered and tended the immense garden near Bunny's cottage, ushered eggs out of the tunnels and vines to go and get painted, and even washed the pooka's brushes when they needed it.

And not a single prank had been played. The winter child had been on perfect behavior the entire time he'd helped the rabbit. He joked and jibbed a few times, but nothing beyond the usual jokes and nicknames. He was eager to learn, listen, and obey whatever Bunny told him. It was almost unnerving. Bunny could see the sharp desperation and desire to please, to be accepted, in those blue eyes every time Jack stood in front of him and it pulled at Aster's heart. The spirit had been left alone for so long that he was desperate to be of use and be needed. So, despite the youngest of the guardians being slightly overbearing, Aster was extremely careful not to snap at the boy or tease too hard. Jack was finally getting comfortable and Aster refused to ruin that.

During the long, warm days in the Warren, Bunny had seen past the carefree prankster they had all assumed Jack was. Aster got a glimpse at the kind, quiet, gentle child who just wanted a little bit of attention, a little bit of love. Aster saw the child Jack had been when he had died, the child that he would always be, and he saw that three hundred years of solitude had made him grow up entirely too quickly. Yes, the boy loved to play a prank and have fun, but what kid doesn't? And in Jack's case, more often than not, the pranks were meant for attention, something he had been so deprived of that he was willing to do anything to get it. Anything to be acknowledged, seen, and spoken to.

Once Jack had started to receive that from all the guardians, in large quantities, the group noticed a change in their youngest. His pranks were almost… Gentler. They were no longer extreme. No more blizzards in the Warren, no ice rinks in North's shop. He had perfect attendance at meetings and he was less argumentative. Almost as if, now that he had the attention he so craved, he was desperate to keep it. Yes, pranks were still played, but they were received with smiles and laughs instead of fists and harsh words. The more they laughed and smiled at him, the more relaxed he became, the more comfortable he became. Still, though, the fear and wariness shone in his eyes anytime one of them address him directly, anytime one of them talked to him. And the minute he thought he was in danger of being abandoned, the shields went up full force and for a few days, he wore the mask of fake smiles, forced laughs, and harsh jokes. Aster wondered if that fear would ever go away. Sometimes, he feared that it wouldn't.

Shaking his head with another sigh, Bunny attempted to dislodge the winter child from his mind. Jack had been plaguing his thoughts so much lately, even when he wasn't with the boy. Turning his mind to more pressing issues, he thought about the mess he'd left behind in his rush to leave this morning.

Jack had gone with him to him the egglets down the tunnels, waving enthusiastically after them.

"Good luck, little guys! Make the kids happy!" the white haired youth had called happily after them.

Aster had assumed that once the googies and he had left, that Jack would leave too. Most likely to dust a few cities with light flurries and frost some windows. He had no fear that the boy would cause anything major. That meant, however, that the Warren was empty and a _mess._

That, the mess waiting for him, was his least favorite part of Easter. In the last minute rush to get the googies out, about, and hidden, Bunny hardly had a chance to eat, let alone clean up after himself. Brushes covered in paint scattered everywhere. Cans of paints and dyes lying around, some not closed and some missing lids. Half batches of chocolate in pots, stacked on the counter in a hazardous, dangerously leaning tower. Images of it flash through the pooka's mind and he felt exhausted by the mere thoughts. With another sigh, he reached the end of the tunnel and the entrance of the Warren.

Pausing for a moment, he enjoyed the warm breeze in the air and the calming smell. The post-Easter peace and quiet of the Warren always served to calm his nerves and relax him. Only after closing his eyes and taking a deep breath through his nose did he notice the slight shift in the Warren's smell. A slight waft of crisp air cut the sweet smell of the eternal spring, bringing with it the smell of frosts leaves and ice. Opening his eyes to glance around, Bunny slowly began to make his way toward his cottage.

Perhaps it was left over from Jack spending the time in the Warren? No, it smelled too strong for that. The closer Aster got to his home, the stronger the smell got. He could smell mint and snowdrops too, a distinctly _Jack_ smell. The air was slightly cooler as well. Rounding the last bend on the path to his home, Aster paused in wonder.

The mess he'd left in the grass was gone, as if it had never happened. On a plain towel, his brushes had been washed and laid out to air dry in the gentle sunlight. His cans, jars, and bottles of dyes were all lidded, wiped clean, and stacked outside the doorway to the burrow. Inside the home, he could hear the sound of someone humming.

Hopping forward to stand in the doorway, Bunny looked inside. Jack was seated with his back turned away. He was seated on a low footstool that he generally used as a step stool. (He often complained about everything being too high up in the Warren and when asked why he didn't just fly to it, he quipped that it took too much energy and everything should be lower anyway. The next day, Bunny had a small step stool waiting for him. Nothing was said about the change, but the appreciation was understood by both.)

His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and from what Bunny could tell, his legs were spread to accommodate something between them on the floor.

"Snowflake?"

Jack jumped with a yelp, startled by the sudden presence of another person. (The pooka noticed he did that often; he jumped when he was addressed or surprised, as if he had forgotten that people could see him and talk to him.) Whatever he had been holding was dropped with a _splash _back into the basin sitting at his feet.

"Oh! You're back. How did it go, Cottontail? I could feel the joy of the first child to find an egg today!" There was a hint of pride and awe in the snow child's voice as he bent down to retrieve the pot that he had dropped into the water. Taking his place back on his stool, Jack stared at Bunny expectantly as he scrubbed at a stubborn clump of dried chocolate.

Aster could only gape at the scene before him. Jack was cleaning his disaster of a kitchen. He had already sorted and cleaned all the tools and paints. Half the pots that he had used were drying on a towel and half was sitting off to the side, waiting to be dunked into the sudsy water.

"W-wha' are ya doin', Jackie?"

Jack looked at him with a confused expression. "I'm washing a pot?"

"Well, yah. I know. I thought you were leaving this morning though?"

Bunny watched as Jack seemed to wilt under that statement, his eyes flashing hurt before he closed up and his face went blank. The youngest guardians' shields were going up. The Guardian of Hope scrambled for words to express that he didn't _want _Jack to leave, he was just confused.

"Not, it ain't like that. I just mean, why are ya cleanin'? I would 'ave thought you'd be spreadin' snow today. You know, for the ankle biters?"

Jack relaxed fractionally at the reassurance, his shoulders dropping from their tense before he shrugged. He concentrated on the pot as he spoke.

"Yeah. I left for a few hours after you left to spread a little bit of snow and some frost. Nothing major!" He quickly blurted out the ending. Frost crept across his face at the outburst and he scrubbed harder. "Once I was done with that, I came back and started cleaning. I can't imagine how tiring it must be to hide all the eggs and travel so much. So, I wanted to help a little bit."

'_A little bit,' _Aster thought with a small smile. This was just Jack being Jack. Being kind and selfless and so ready to please. Shaking his head, he plopped down next to the tub and grabbed another pot and sponge. Jack opened his mouth to protest, worry in his eyes replacing the hard, cold edge they had taken. Bunny beat him to it.

"I did it every year before this without ya. And you already did most of tha' work anyway. Let me at least help with this."

Jack blinked for a moment before a wide, bright, pure smile spread over his face and he nodded enthusiastically. The two worked happily, chatting about how the eggs hunts had come along and where Bunny had thought to hide them this year. And the whole time, Aster couldn't help but think that he wouldn't mind Jack staying in the Warren.


	3. Confessions and Understanding

_Early-May_

It was a month later when Aster left the Warren for the first time since Easter. Since Jack had saved him the time of cleaning and chores, the pooka had been able to spend the month relaxing and sleeping off the knots, aches, and exhaustion left over from Easter; as well as tend to the Warren, which had been slightly neglected the month before. Now though, he found that he needed to leave the warmth of his eternal spring to visit the frigid north of the Pole. He had something he needed to talk to the Guardian of Wonder about and wanted to do it while Jack was spreading snow, frost, and all things fun to the children of the world.

Since Easter, the young snow spirit had spent much time in the Warren. He could stop in when he wasn't doing his job and stay late into the night. It wasn't until Bunny was yawning every other word that the young sprite would leave. Always, though, it was with a sheen of loneliness and unhappiness in his bright blue eyes. And, every time, Aster would reassure the kid that he could come back tomorrow as long as he did his job first. The light of hope and elation on Jack's face always made the rabbit's center warm, because despite what they thought, Jack was still a child at heart and his hope radiated brightly.

Hopping through the deep snow, cursing about his numb feet and frost tipped whiskers, Bunny made it to the Workshop in a matter of minutes. Phil opened the door for him, offering him a warm glass of eggnog and a towel. Aster took the towel first to dry the snow out of his fur before he traded Phil for the eggnog. The warm glass felt like heaven in his chilled paws. He sipped at the liquid as he walked through the maze that was the Workshop. After many years of coming here, it was almost muscle memory that got Bunny to North's office. The door was wide open and loud Russian music blasted from inside. Peaking his head in, Bunny watched as North chipped and carved away at an icy model that he was making. With a sharp knock on the wooden door, the pooka got the toy makers attention.

"Da! Bunny! Is good to see you. What brings you to Pole today?" The music was turned down and the tools set aside as the inventor turned to his friend. North was jolly as always, a bright smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. Bunny found himself smiling a bit in return before taking his customary seat in his rocking chair. He sipped once more at his drink before setting it aside.

"It's about Jack, mate."

Immediately, the smile wilted and a hard, protective look shone in North's blue eyes. He tense noticeably.

"Is he okay? Did something happen?"

Bunny waved a paw passively to calm the man down, a grin on his face.

"Calm down, mate, the kid's good as apples. It has more to do with… me, I guess."

North calmed at the words and took a seat in his chair, bracing his elbows on his knees to stare at his old friend. His expression told Bunny to continue talking.

Bunny took a deep breath. "The kids been hangin' 'round the Warren a lot lately. And normally that would bother the hell out of me. You know how much I hate people bein' in my Warren," North nodded his agreement at that, remembering each and every time that he'd visited the eternal spring without permission and nearly gotten a boomerang to the mouth.

"So he's there all the time. He doesn't play any pranks though! He just wants to play with the googies and weed the garden and talk. Sometimes not even that! He just lays in the grass under the trees and watches me paint. Sometimes he talks to the egg sentries. Usually I would have gone bonkers by now!"

Bunny threw his hands in the air in frustration. They landed with a muffled _thump _in his lap.

"But you have not?"

Bunny looked at North with wide, confused eyes.

"No, mate. I haven't. In fact, I like havin' the kid there. He's good to bounce ideas off of, really understands the ankle biters. He's helpful, kind, respectful. Nothing like we thought he was. And… And I like having him in the Warren. I like knowing that he's protected and taken care of there. Someone to talk to him and help him. Someone to love—"

Bunny stopped midsentence, his mouth hanging open in shock. Had he been about to say that? About Jack, of all people? Now that he thought about it, he had gotten very close to their youngest in recent months. They spent so much time together and Bunny had seen sides and aspects of Jack that he hadn't known, or ever considered, existed. The winter boy was more than a holiday ruining troublemaker. He was Jack Frost, the youngest guardian, the guardian of fun, their friend, their _family. _Bunny couldn't remember how they'd lived without him in their lives. What had they been doing? How had they done it?

Bunny turned his green eyes to his oldest friend. Again, they were wide and filled with confusion.

North's eyes were wide with shock and awe, but a knowing smile curled his lips and he sat forward slowly, locking his eyes with Aster's.

"You love our young Jack Frost, Aster." It wasn't a question, it hung in the air as a statement.

Bunnymund's eyes, if possible, widened further and he looked helplessly down at his paws. Did he love Jack? Of course he did, after what the boy done for him, done for _all of them_ it was almost impossible not to love the kid. But was it _love? _More than a familial love, more than a deep friendship?

The pooka thought about the time he'd been spending with the snow spirit. He remembered the smiles and the clear laugh that rang through the Warren. The laugh that felt like it belong there. He thought about how the Warren felt empty when Jack was gone and he felt a ghost of the joy that surged through him when he felt the first brush of cool wind when Jack arrived in the eternal spring. He felt the spot in his heart that Jack had wiggled into squeeze painfully when he remembered the times when he had hurt the young spirit and he could feel the phantom feeling of longing to sit and be near Jack forever. Was that love though? It had been so long since he'd experienced love and he thought, after the eradication of his people, that he could never feel that love again. Was it possible that these feelings for Jack were love, in the truest sense of the word?

Green eyes met blue again and the doubt vanished. Aster wasn't even sure it had ever existed. These feelings were _true _and they felt _right. _They surged through him with every beat of his heart. The desire to protect, hold, talk to, sit with, cherish, take care of, support, stand by, _love. _Something that the pooka hadn't experienced in a very long time. And the approval, and slightly teasing, in the toy maker's gaze solidified his decision all the more.

"I love Jack Frost."

All North could do was smile encouragingly and clap the rabbit on the shoulder.

"Da, you do. Now, how you tell him?"

Never had the pooka's heart stopped and dropped so quickly at so few words.

"Tell him? I'm neva' goin' to tell him!"

Confusion fluttered over North's face, making his smile disappear. His large eyebrows scrunched above his eyes.

"Why not? You love him, shouldn't he know that?"

Aster shook his head hard at that and ground his teeth together.

"It'll ruin the friendship, mate. And I'd rather have him as a friend then not at all." The very idea of Jack never visiting the Warren again made his skin crawl and his stomach roll.

The large Russian pursed his lips. "How do you know that he will not return feelings?"

"I just know, alright?" It was a weak counter, Aster knew that, but the idea of confessing to Jack and possibly losing the winter sprite made his heart clench and his stomach drop.

North shook his head. "You are afraid for nothing. Even if feelings are not returned, he stays your friend. I guarantee," He clapped Bunny's shoulder again with a knowing grin, "I can feel it, _in my belly_."

Aster chuckled quietly and shook his head in light disbelief. Maybe North was right.

"I'll think about it, mate. No promises though."

The toy maker nodded, knowing that eventually, the stubborn rabbit wouldn't be able to hide it anymore. And if what Aster said about Jack hanging around the Warren was true, Santa didn't doubt at all that the feelings were returned.

"You do that. Now go, attend Warren. I am sure that Jack is waiting for you there."

Bunny nodded absently, ignoring the flutter in his stomach at the idea of Jack waiting for him at his home.

"Thanks North, I'll be seein' you."

"Da, you will. Meeting with Wednesday, correct?"

A nod was the toy maker's answer.

Two thumps and a yellow daffodil later, North was once again alone in his office. With a chuckle and a shake of the head, he turned back to his ice masterpiece. He knew that soon, one of the two stubborn guardians would cave and confess to the other.

It was only a matter of time.


	4. Spring Cleaning and Staying

_Early-May_

It was early in the morning when Jack flowed into the Warren with a trail of cold wind and the smell of fresh snow. He landing almost immediately, loving the feel of the lush grass under his feet. It was so different than the cool, slickness of ice. Different, but definitely not disliked. It was nice to feel the difference and be able to appreciate it. Humming appreciatively, he nodded respectfully to the egg sentries waiting for him, their faces turned to carve smiles. He smiled back.

Slowly, the young spirit made his way toward the burrow that Bunny called home. In reality, it was just a cottage built into the side of a small hill. The stone was dark grey and covered almost completely with different vines, mosses, and flowers.

Bunny had mentioned to him a little over a week ago that he needed to get a jump start on spring cleaning for the year. When Jack had asked what that entailed, Aster explained that he needed to clean out the old chocolates that had gone bad and restock the shelves of left over chocolate from this past Easter, he needed to organize and file the new recipes, he needed to get rid of expired paints and make a list of what colors he needed to get more of and what ingredients that required. As well as the normal cleaning, pruning, weeding, and planting.

"That sounds like a lot of work," Jack commented, amazed at how much Bunny had to do. He had always assumed that the pooka's only job was making chocolate and hiding painted eggs.

Bunnymund just shrugged. "It's gotta get done."

Jack hummed in agreement, looking away shyly. "Do you think you'd want some help?"

This had been a big moment between the two of them. It was the first time Jack was asking if he could help. Asking if he could come see him. Asking to stay in the Warren. Every other time, Aster had needed to offer it to him; Jack had never had the courage to ask.

The quiet request made Aster's heart stutter, but if his voice sounded breathless when he said 'sure', Jack didn't say anything.

So now, Jack meandered his way down the familiar, well beaten path to the burrow. It was still quite early, the snow sprite doubted that Bunny would be awake by now. Maybe he'd start weeding the garden while he waited. He was finally getting familiar enough with what was a plant and what was a weed that he didn't need to constantly look the flora up in Bunny's big book of plants. Which made the entire process of weeding go much faster.

Making his way around the last corner of the path, Jack stopped to greet a few small eggs running toward him. The little googies had been created just after Easter, so they knew that they had a long year in the Warren before they'd get delivered. The circled Jack's legs excitedly, jumping over his bare feet and nudging his ankles. The boy chuckled at their antics and waved the crook of his staff over them, creating a gentle bit of snowfall over the egglets. They jumped up and down in excitement and kicked at the tiny flakes where they began to gather on the ground. A few rolled in the fluffy flakes.

"Careful, mate, they'll never leave you alone again now."

Jack jumped at the deep voice above him and clutched his staff tightly to his chest. The reaction made a pang run through Bunny's heart; the kid was still scared. Shaking off the negative thoughts, he threw on an easy grin. Watching Jack interact with his googies was interesting. He'd never seen anyone spend time with them, besides the children who found them on Easter morning. Jack took the time to play with them, though. He talked to them, led them, and took care of them as if they were tiny children. It warmed Aster's head and made the large soft spot for the young winter guardian grow a little bit more.

Jack had relaxed now and was grinning. Staring down at the eggs playing in the snow, he couldn't help but add one more little wave for them to play in. The snow would melt quickly in the Warren, so he wanted to give them as much time to play as they could get. He could hear Bunny chuckle beside him.

"Alright, enough play. Let's get to work." A paw was waved in the direction they needed to go. Jack rolled his eyes.

"You can never have enough play, Cottontail." Bunny only scoffed in response.

It didn't take them long to get to the small shed where Aster kept his paints and supplies. Much like the rest of the Warren, it was heavily covered in flora and vines. They curved and wound around the old wood, becoming a part of it and supporting the structure. It was beautiful and peaceful. When they stepped inside, Jack noticed that there was no light in the small room. It hardly needed it, with the sunlight pouring through the open windows. Looking around, Jack saw hundreds of colors of paint, colors he didn't think he'd ever seen before. There was also a plethora of brushes, stencils, pencils, knifes, pallets, and tools he didn't know the name of, but could only imagine what they were for. He wished he could watch Bunny use them, if only to know what they were used for.

"Alright, Frostbite, first thing we gotta do is get rid of the old paints."

"Why get rid of them?" The fun bringer couldn't imagine why you would throw out such gorgeous colors.

"Paint expires, mate. Smell like rotten milk. Nasty stuff," Bunny smiled at him, "Don't worry though. We'll make more."

Jack smiled at the use of the word "we'll"; he enjoyed the fact that Bunny was inviting him to help. Bunny wanted to spend time with him, wanted him around. It was an unusual feeling for him, for sure, but it was definitely a good one.

Setting his staff aside, he held his arms out. "Let's get started then!"

They finished a week later. The paints had been properly and safely dumped.

"They're plant based, so they're totally biodegradable. I use the left over, rotten stuff to feed some of the plants around the Warren."

Together, the two of them had filled watering can after watering can with different colors of foul smelling paints and dyes.

After that, they have taken care of the expired chocolate. It was ground into a mulch type mixture that was dumped at the base of all the trees.

On the third day, Jack organized chocolate recipes based on type of chocolate, then by filling, while Aster made the bases for the new paints. It was a quiet, low key day that Jack spent in the gentle sunlight on the grass outside the paint shed, with Bunny inside mixing paints.

The fourth day was dedicated entirely to weeding the entire Warren. During the months before Easter, Jack had only been asked to maintain the personal vegetable and fruit garden in the back of the burrow. This time, they started at the far south end of the Warren, as far from the cottage as they could get, and made their way forward. It was tiring work, and Jack often had to stop and retreat to the small, dye free creek to cool off so he didn't overheat. Every time he did, there was gentle teasing about his fair skin and not wanting to get a burn, but other than that, they chatted comfortably.

On the fifth day, where they got a later start after the hard work of weeding the day before, they added the liquid to the paint powder. It was exhausting work because for thirty minutes straight, the large pots of heated powder and liquid needed to be constantly stirred so that it didn't clump up. After it was evenly heated and stirred, the dyes were slowly cooled and added to buckets and bottles with the appropriate labels on them, before they were carefully organized on shelves by color. Jack did most of the pouring and organizing, leaving the arm work for Aster.

The sixth day rolled around to find the two checking brushes and tools for quality. Bunny refused to work with anything that wasn't top standard.

"The ankle biters deserve better than that!" He had exclaimed when he insisted throwing out a brush due to one bent bristle. Jack had laughed and asked if he could keep the brush. Bunny shrugged.

"Sure, if you're okay with a shitty brush." Jack rolled his eyes at that.

And today, the seventh day, the boys woke up and did the easiest of all the work, they checked off and made sure that everything on Bunny's list was done.

"We're finished!" Jack said excited. Everything on the list was checked off.

Aster smiled and nodded. "We sure are! Thanks for your help, Frostbite. Usually takes me two or three weeks to get all that done by myself. And it's awfully lonely work all by my lonesome."

Frost spread over Jack's cheeks and he chuckled nervously at the compliment. Clearing his throat, the boy looked back toward the Burrow with a little touch of sadness. To make it easier on him, Bunny had let him stay on his couch so he didn't have to travel here from Burgess every day. An image of the uncomfortable tree branch he slept on flashed through his head. For the first time, he didn't see his lake as a desirable place to return to. He'd gotten used to the gentle heat of the Warren, gotten accustomed to the luxuries of a bed (even though it was just a couch) and having food on the table, and most of all, he'd gotten so used to being with Bunny. Despite their arguments of the past, the two got along very well. They talked about everything under the sun, and when they weren't, it wasn't awkward. It didn't feel like Bunny had forgotten him or didn't want to talk to him, they were just comfortable in silence. Jack never thought he'd ever be comfortable with silence ever again after three hundred years of it, but with Aster, it wasn't suffocating. His presence, even quiet, was enough.

Jack had been thinking about it on the fourth day, when the two had been weeding and a little distance away from each other. He thought about the change in their relationship, he pondered what Bunny meant to him, he wondered why Bunny let him stay around. And the thought about what would happen if it went back to the way it was. The pain that lanced through him was so sudden, like the strike of lightning, making Jack gasped and dropped the weed he was holding. It took him a moment to regain his breath and shake the thought from his head. The thought wouldn't leave though and it wasn't until long into the fifth day, while Jack was admiring the paint brushed he'd gotten from Bunny, imagining the pooka using them with extreme care to make beautiful eggs for the children of the world, that Jack realized he loved the rabbit. The thought made his stomach flutter, his heart skip a beat, and his brain freeze. How could he love Bunny? When had that happened? Most importantly, what was he going to do about it?

He came to the conclusion that he needed to ignore these feelings. There was no way they were reciprocated. Moreover, Jack refused to jeopardize the friendship he had cultivated with his fellow guardian. They had come so far; Jack wasn't risking that progress for anything.

Still, he was sad to leave the Warren and no longer be in the rabbit's constant contact, even though every time Aster talked to him, he blushed frost and his heart fluttered.

"Well," he started, clearing his throat quietly to dislodge the lump there, "I better get going. Snow to spread, fun to bring. The usual." He wondered if Bunnymund could hear the strain in his voice, the thick emotion clogging his throat. He turned quickly, afraid the guardian would see it in his eyes. He made it three steps before a heavy paw landed on his shoulder.

"Hold up, mate, we got one more thing ta do before you can leave."

"But, the list was all checked off?" Couldn't Bunny see that he wanted to get out of here? Get away from the warmth and the company and the _bloody kangaroo that he loved_ before his heart broke any more than it already had?

Aster smiled, his heart beating hard in his chest in anticipation. He'd been thinking long and hard since his talk with North and this week with Jack had solidified his plans. "I forgot to put one thing down but it's by far the most important part of spring. So, you gonna help me or what?"

Jack could only wordlessly nod.

"Good onya, mate."

Aster led them back toward the cottage, a bounce in his step and his hands shaking. This was a pivotal moment in their friendship, in their _relationship._ This could make or break the bridge they had finally made. He prayed to Manny that it didn't break it.

Jack was confused. They hadn't spent any time doing any chores in the burrow all week. What job could possibly be so important that it resided there?

Pulling the door open, Bunny held it for Jack and watched the white haired teen linger in the living room area. He was staring at his box of paintbrushes.

"Grab those while you're at it, Frostbite." Jack nodded at the command and grabbed his box, holding it close to his body. Almost as if someone might take them away. Aster briefly wondered if the boy had ever been given a gift from another person, but shook that train of thought away before it could damper his mood.

"Don't just stand there, c'mon," he said, a smile spread across his lips as he waved the snow child down the hall. Jack paused for a moment before continuing to follow. He'd never been in this part of the cottage before. It hadn't been spoken, but he assumed it was a rule not to invade the rabbit's space so he had stayed to the living room and kitchen. He padded quietly behind Bunny, peering at the new environment and the art on the walls along the way. He didn't have time to truly appreciate it, but he recognized the forms of pookas in the pictures.

'_Someday,´_ he vowed, _'I'll come in and look at them all in earnest.'_

"Here we are!" Aster announced, breaking the Guardian of Fun out of his train of thought.

Jack looked at the door he was being presented in confusion. It was a plain wooden door, nothing especially significant about it, until he leaned closer and saw a small engraving of a snowflake in the door. The mark was filled in with a frosty blue paint that looked like it would sparkle if light hit it.

"What is this?" He dared not hope.

"Open it and find out, mate."

Tentatively, with a shaking hand, the boy reached out to grasp the cool metal handle to the door. It created gently as he turned the handle and pushed the door open. The first thing he saw was sunlight. It poured through the window at the back wall, bathing the entire room in yellow. There was a simple bed, nothing special, with two pillows and a heavy quilt. The ground was simple, flat, dry dirt, with a rug of lush green grass over it, acting as a carpet. There was a dresser, a nightstand with an oil lamp on it, and a desk with a chair. Very simple, very homey. Jack didn't know what it meant.

"W-What is this?"

"It's your room, mate."

Jack whipped around to look at Bunny's eyes. His spring green eyes that were always bright with hope and light. His eyes that never lied because they were open books and you could see everything Bunny felt in them. His eyes that showed joy, warmth, and nervousness now. Eyes that told Jack that this wasn't a joke, wasn't a prank. There was no punch line and the rug wasn't about to be pulled out from under him. Aster was serious.

"Why…though?"

Aster looked past him into the little room and a soft smile graced his face. His eyes filled with so much, dare Jack think, love that it nearly brought the spirit to tears.

"I like havin' ya in the Warren. You're good with the eggs, you help out, and you don't play too many pranks," Bunny looked at him pointedly and both thought about the one patch of flowers that Jack froze, saying that they 'looked prettier that way'.

Jack just stared in wonder at Bunny and then his eyes flickered to the room. To _his room. _In a moment of fear, Aster wondered if the boy would say no. He hadn't entertained the thought much, so much work had gone into getting the room ready that he had never considered if Jack would refuse. And what if he was offended by the room, thinking that Aster looked down on his lake and the way Jack lived? Panic seized Aster quickly, making his heart squeeze and his stomach clench. He waved his paws in front of him.

"I mean, ya don't have ta stay here if ya don't want. I know ya got your lake, which is a great lake! I just, I wanted ta offer you a place, ya know? Just in case—" He was cut off by cool arms wrapping around his waist and a face being pressed into his chest. The box of brushes clattered noisily to the floor.

Immediately, his arms wound around Jack to steady the two of them so they didn't go toppling over. Jack nuzzled his face into the ruff on Bunny's chest, his arms tightening around the rabbit's waist tightly.

"_Yes. _Thank you." The words were soft, muffled, and strained, but they rang crystal clear through Bunny's ears.

He tightened his arms as well and held the boy close, enjoying the chill creeping gently into his fur.

"Welcome home, Frostbite."


	5. Leaping and Nesting

_Mid-July_

Jack peaked around the burrow that Aster called 'home' with awe and undisguised interest. It was so different from anything he'd ever seen. He'd lived in the Warren for a little over a month now and he still wasn't used to a bed instead of a tree branch, soft grass instead of rough pebbles. Now that he was sleeping here every night, he found that he kept discovering little things that he hadn't noticed during his stay on the couch. Paintings covered the walls, depictions of a society he'd never get to see but that gave him a view into the life that Bunny had lived before he'd becoming a Guardian. It was enlightening but also incredibly sad. Jack wondered if Aster missed his life before being a Guardian.

That was how Jack spent most of his days, exploring the burrow and the Warren. He was familiar with almost every nook and cranny at this point, save for one room.

Bunny's room. There was no spoken rule, but Bunny was a private person, so Jack stayed away from the perpetually closed door two doors down from his own. Thinking about his room made a smile spread across his face. After the month of staying in the Warren full time, Jack's feelings for Aster had only grown. They ate meals together and chatted together during the evenings. Sometimes Jack helped out with Easter and Warren work, other times he'd go do his own job, and once in a while he'd go and visit the other Guardians. He was at his weakest right now with it being the middle of summer, usually he'd be hibernating for the season to regain his strength, and he figured he'd sleep most of August and September. For now, he kept cool and refreshed by visiting the Workshop often to lay in snowbanks and take naps.

Today, he was planning to check on the snow in the Arctic and perhaps visit North for some cookies. Maybe he'd play with some of the Inuit children on his way back to the Warren. Plan set and a smile on his face, Jack grabbed his staff from the living room and made his way out the tunnels.

Bunny let out a sigh of relief when he finally made it back to the Warren. It had been early in the morning when he left; when he'd peaked into Jack's room, the boy had been soundly sleeping. Bunny observed that the bags under his eyes were finally letting up, lightening and disappearing. It made Aster happy to know that the boy was finally sleeping well. He'd left after a few minutes, closing the door quietly, but committing the image of Jack sleeping soundly to memory. He'd left the Warren short after that, needing to make a "round-the-world" trip to get ingredients for various things. Some were for new paints, some were for chocolates, and others were simply for day to day meals.

It was a lot of moving though and Bunny wanted to get it down as quickly as possible, so he'd told Jack to stay behind for the day. The boy had taken it well, smiling and nodding, saying that he'd hate to have to follow the slow rabbit around all day anyway. The two had taken a few more gentle shots at each other before Bunny had announced that he needed to get to bed.

Besides seeing him sleeping this morning, Bunny hadn't heard or seen the kid all day. It wasn't totally unusually, they had different jobs and different schedules. Sometimes Aster forgot that besides being a Guardian, the snow child was also an elemental spirit. Which entailed different roles, obligations, and traditions that Bunny had no clue of. There were often days that Jack disappeared for a few hours to half a day at a time. Still, Bunny found that every time Jack left, the Warren seemed entirely too empty.

Silently, Bunny hoped that Jack was there when he returned.

It wasn't ten minutes later that he rounded the last turn of the tunnel and bound into the Warren. He slowed to a stop and rolled his shoulders with a _pop_. The gentle sun beamed down on him, spreading warmth through his wind chilled fur. It felt good to be home. Taking in a large breath of air through his nose, he tasted the wind and a smile spread over his face. Jack was home. Following the smell, he set off toward its origin.

Bunny couldn't be sure how long he'd been there when he finally found the winter spirit. He smiled immediately and called as Jack's name as he hopped toward the small guardian. It was only when Jack didn't respond that he realized something was wrong.

"Mate?" he called, most softly as he approached. Jack didn't move, not so much as a flinch. It wasn't until Aster was at his side, putting a paw on his shoulder that Jack moved. He threw his thin arms around the Guardian of Hope's middle and clung there. Surprised by the sudden contact, Aster felt from his haunches back onto his rear, an arm wrapping around Jack to keep him steady. Through his thick fur, he could feel frozen droplets on his skin. Jack was crying.

"Oh, Snowflake," he whispered. Curling his legs, he sat crosslegged and held Jack to in his lap. The frost bringer tightened his arms and sniffled, but made no other movement or sound. Aster stroked his back gentle, rocking ever so slightly to help calm the child down. He pressed his nose gently to Jack's temple and snuffled there, rubbing gently. It was a pooka instinct, that's how moms settled down kits.

It seemed to do the trick. Jack's arms loosened and his breathing calmed down. He pulled his face from Bunny's chest and wiped his eyes with a sniffle.

"Ya wanna tell me what happened, mate?"

Jack looked down and shrugged halfheartedly.

"C'mon Frostbite, you don't react like that to nothing. Tell me what happened."

Jack tensed up and his eyes flashed cold for a moment. Aster feared he'd pushed too hard and that Jack was going to close up. The look passed, though, and Jack slumped. It was as if he didn't even have the energy to close up.

"They still walk through me."

For a moment, the entire Warren was silent.

"Oh Jackie."

Bunny drew the youth close to his chest again, wrapping his long arms around Jack's shoulders and burying his nose in soft white hair. He snuffled for a moment, nuzzling against Jack's head in an attempt to comfort him.

"I'm so sorry, mate." There wasn't much else he could say. He remembered the feeling of a child walking through him. The soul crushing, heart wrenching, gut turning feeling of someone ignoring your existence because they _didn't believe in you. _A ghost of that feeling whispered through the pooka and he shuttered. He held Jack a little bit tighter, hoping— _wishing— _he could protect the one he loved from this feeling.

They sat like that for hours. Even when the gentle sunlight dimmed into a warm evening, neither stirred nor made a move to get up. Jack's crying had stopped long before, dwindling into small hiccups and quiet sniffles. Bunny continued to nuzzle his head, rub his back, and whisper reassuring nothings into his hair.

It wasn't until the first yawn that the paired moved. Jack broke first when a long yawn tumbled from his mouth. His eyes, tinged red from crying, were glazed and tired. The boy was beat. Bunny smiled a gentle smile at him and slowly got to his feet.

"Alright, Frostbite, let's get to bed. It's been a long day." Jack nodded against his chest.

The short walk to the cottage was quiet. Neither spoke until Bunny had opened Jack's door and made the move to set the boy in bed. Jack's fists had tightened, almost painfully, in his fur, making it impossible for the pooka to set him down.

"Jack?"

"Can… Can I stay with you tonight? I don't like— the nightmares, they— I can't sl—"

Aster silenced the boy with a nuzzle to his forehead.

"Course you can, Jackie."

Jack just nodded, frost spread over his nose and cheeks, eyes downcast. If it wasn't for the circumstances, Bunny would have said the kid looked damn cute.

Turning, the pooka closed the door and made the two step walk to his door. He set Jack on his feet; the boy let go easily enough this time. He looked even smaller standing there, arms wrapped around himself and back hunched.

Jack didn't know what he expected from Bunny's room, but what he got was not what he expected. He'd expected at least a bed, but when the pooka opened the door, he found no bed in the room. No, instead of a bed, there was a nest. It was a large, round, wooden framed nest that was near ten feet in circumference. It was filled with soft, sweet smelling hay and alfalfa. On top of the straw, there were multiple blankets and pillows. It brought a small smile to the boy's face.

The rest of the room consisted of a small desk that was covered in paper, pencils, and paints, a small dresser, and two bed side tables on either end of the nest.

Jack didn't hesitate to walk forward and step over the low wooden edge of the nest, and fall face first into the plush pillows and heavy blankets.

A low chuckle sounded behind him. Rolling over onto his back, he peaked at Aster. The guardian was still standing by the door, leaning against the door jam and grinning at Jack like an idiot. Jack couldn't help but grin back before sticking his tongue out.

"'Ey, you better put that back where it belongs, Frostbite."

"Or what, Cottontail, you gonna do it for me?"

Both froze, staring wide eyed at one another. The tension in the small room could have been cut with a knife.

In that moment, Aster realized it was 'now or never'. Without a second thought, he took the leap.

"I most certainly will, Snowflake." His voice shook a touch and he sounded a bit breathless.

Jack gaped at him, his eyes wide and frost collecting on his cheeks and nose. He wondered if Bunny was serious, if this was really happening. Could his feelings be returned, against all odds? He stared into those spring green eyes, hoping, wishing, pleading for this to be real. There was no deceit in those eyes, no joke or humor or mirth. They were nervous, serious, and overflowing with love. The same looked he'd had a month earlier when he invited Jack to live here. He'd seen that same look a few times since then and every time he'd blown it off as his imagination. He felt like an idiot.

Slowly, he pushed himself to standing and took a few slow steps toward Bunny. The pooka didn't move, but his eyes followed every movement that Jack made toward them. He looked weary. With agonizing slowness, Jack reached forward and put his hand on the furry chest he'd been clinging too earlier. A strong heart beat under his hand, it fluttered with anxiety. It brought a small smile to Jack's face.

"I never dreamed you'd feel the same way."

That was all that needed to be said before he was lifted by strong arms. Lips crashed down against his. He wrapped lithe arms around Bunny's neck and held himself as close as he could get. The kiss ended quickly, both breathing heavily from the emotion of the moment and the kiss.

"Do ya mean it?"

Jack nodded against Aster's forehead before planting a peck to his nose.

"Serious as a snowstorm," he replied with a grin. The Guardian of Hope laughed breathlessly, the air tickling Jack's face. He giggled at the sensation before a yawn cut him off. Bunny smiled and slowly lowered Jack to the ground.

"C'mon, mate, let's go to bed."

Jack nodded enthusiastically before diving back into the plush nest and laughing. Bunny liked that sound, the clear, bright sound of Jack laughing. Bunny crawled into the bed as soon as Jack was settled. It took a little bit of time before they found a position that was comfortable for both of them, but they soon settled in for sleep. Jack was out like a light, the minute he was settled with his head on Aster's chest he was asleep. His cool breath puffed over Aster's chest, sending shivers up the rabbit's spine. A paw ran along Jack's spine, enjoying the feel of the boy being curved to his side.

The last thing Aster thought before sleep claimed him was how happy he was that he took the leap.

When the two showed up to the next meeting, hand-in-paw, and sat curled against each other on the couch, no one said a word.

However, the other three knew. And the conveyed their congratulations with knowing smiles and hidden thumbs up.


	6. Layers and Loved Ones

_Early-October_

A fire was roaring in the hearth. The room was dimly light by the flickering flames. It was warm and cozy. The perfect atmosphere for a meeting. The Guardians sat around in different forms of furniture. Bunny was stretched out in a padded rocking chair that North had personally made him, his long legs pushing against the floor in a gentle rock. Tooth was perched with a perfectly straight back on the low cushioned couch, her wings twitching every now and then. A few fairies buzzed around her head, but for the most part she had left them for the night to take care of the Teeth. Since the Pitch incident, she'd realized how absorbed she was and had decided to step back a little bit and allowed her helpers to take over so that she got a little more free time. Sandy was sipping an eggnog on the other end of the couch, his smile happy and relaxed, and his eyelids drooping in sleepiness. North was seated in his desk chair, his brows furrowed and his mouth set in a frown below his beard.

The room was silently besides the cracks and pops of the fire, the near silent buzz of Tooth's fairies, and the gentle creak of Aster's chair.

The silence didn't last much longer.

"Where the bloody hell is he?" Bunnymund grumbled, glaring out the window at the light, fluffy flakes dancing in the wind.

North sighed at the outburst and glanced out the window as well. The wind knocked against the window gently, whispering to them, asking them where her winter child was.

"I know not," North murmured, "Is very unlike Jack to be late to meetings."

Before Jack, the Guardians only held biyearly meetings to check in with each other and report how they were. After he had joined their ragtag team, pulling them together as a team, as a family, they had realized how distant they had gotten from each other. In an effort to rectify that mistake, and make an excuse to spend time with their youngest, North had ordered that they hold a meeting every two weeks to report on how they were doing and what they had been doing for the children. Jack had always been punctual, much to everyone's surprise. They had expected the spirit of fun and pranks to blow off the responsibility in favor of having fun and spreading snow.

In reality, Jack was always on time to every meeting and participated actively in them. One week, the big four had gotten together an hour early to discuss their surprise at the responsibility they observed in Jack. It was finally Sandy that suggested that perhaps Jack just enjoyed spending time with them. After that statement, the room had gone quiet as they imagined what it must be like for Jack to suddenly have company, companionship, love, support, _friends, a family._ Guilt had overwhelmed them instantly and the subject had been dropped as the winter child rode the Wind into the room with a bright smile and hair dusted with snow. They hadn't brought it up since.

"I knew it was only a matter a time before the blood show pony started skipping these," Aster snapped. Despite their budding relationship, Bunny was still irritated that Jack seemed to be shirking his responsibilities. He had just seen the boy this morning, right before Jack had left the Warren to spread the early morning frost in North America. Tooth glared at him and took to the air to zip over to him.

"We can't just assume that he's skipping. He might be doing something important!"

Bunny scoffed. "Important? What could he possibly have to do that's so important?" They all knew that he didn't mean that. All the guardians recognized how important Jack's job was, especially considering his status as an elemental spirit and a guardian. Bunny's patience was waning, though, and often that meant a sharp tongue.

Tooth glanced away and chewed at her lip for a moment, thinking of Jack's title and job, and wondering what he did beyond being the Guardian of Fun. Often during the meetings, he talked about snow storms and snowball fights, beautiful frost on window panes and snow days. He had never really gone into detail, though, about his day to day work beyond that. What schedule he had to keep or responsibilities he held. It was always very vague.

"Exactly!" Bunny said when Tooth offered no excuse. "He probably thought it'd be more fun to play in tha' snow then come to the meeting."

Tooth sigh in defeat and drooped toward the ground. "We've assumed so much about him that's been proven wrong though."

North and Sandy nodded in agreement and a sad silence fell over the group.

"Regardless, he is not here. We must go get him to have meeting. Who wants to retrieve Jack?" The Guardian of Wonder look around expectantly. No hands went up immediately and he sighed.

"Bunny it is then!"

The pooka stuttered and sputtered indignantly as he whipped toward the toy maker.

"Why's it gotta be me, mate?"

"You are closest with Jack, with the kissing and the cuddling, and he lives in Warren. So, you go find him."

Bunny grumbled at that logic and rose from his rather comfortable seat with a groan. He agreed with North though, he was the closest to Jack. And as unlikely as it was that Jack was doing something important, he did worry about the kid's absence.

"I'll go check for Frostbite at his lake. If he ain't there, I'll come back."

"Right, good luck Aster. Don't go too hard on him if you find him. Let him explain first."

Bunny rolled his eyes, tapping the floor with his foot. "Yeah, yeah, Toothy."

With that said, Aster jumped down into his hole. A small white snowdrop stuck out from the floorboards in his place.

It didn't take long to get to Burgess. The tunnel from the Pole to the small town was worn and well used, Bunny having used it often in the months since Jack's initiation into the Guardians. The large rabbit was often sent to get their youngest from the lake he had once called home.

Jumping carefully from the hole nearest to the lake, Bunny peaked around to make sure no ankle biters were around. Last thing he needed today was to be seen and accosted by little ones. Spotting no children, Aster made his way down the easy path to the water.

Fall was settling in Burgess. The trees were a rainbow of oranges, reds, yellows, browns, and greens. The air smelled cool and sharp. Twigs and leaves crunched underfoot as you walked. It was gorgeous, if not a little sad. Bunny always had a hard time watching the beauty of spring and summer be destroyed by cool air and snow. He understood the seasons though and knew that it would be green and beautiful again in no time.

For now, he had to find Jack. He was almost to the lake, which was actually more of a glorified pond, when he heard laughter. Immediately, he ducked behind a large bush. After a moment to let things settle, spring green eyes peaked between the leaves toward the lake.

He could see Jack from where he was crouch. The eternal teen was sitting at the edge of the lake. His staff was held tightly in both hands and the end touched the frozen surface of the water. On the ice, there were three children. They were laughing and skating. Bunnymund couldn't tell if the cranberry blush in their cheeks was from the cool air or from the breathless laughing. Bunny smirked, seeing that he was right about Jack blowing off the meeting to play with the ankle biters.

'_Bloody Frostbite is going ta get an earful from me.' _Relationship or not, it was _not _okay to blow off Guardians duties to play.

Only then did Aster realize that Jack wasn't _playing. _He was passively seated, smiling wistfully at the children. There was a tight set to his mouth though, his eyes were pinched in concentration and seriousness. No, Frostbite was definitely _not _playing or goofing off.

The children left fifteen minutes later, their mother's voice ringing through the air for them to come inside for dinner. They slipped and slid their way off the ice, giggling and panting the entire way. Only once they were off the ice and out of sight did Jack remove is staff from the surface of the lake and sit back. Bunny took this opportunity to stand and make his way over to the teen. He was still frustrated at Jack for missing the meeting, but his curiosity as to _what _Frostbite was doing the whole time won out.

Jack's eyes were closed when Bunny made it to his side. With a light clear of the throat, Jack sat up and looked at Bunny with wide eyes. His hand curled around his staff automatically, ready to attack if need be.

"Oh, Cottontail, it's you. What's up? What are you doing here?" He asked, a small smile curling his lips, sounding tired. Jack rubbed at his eye absently as he spoke.

"Ya missed the meeting, mate," Bunny said, his voice lacking the edge that it would usually have in this situation.

Jack jumped up at those words and clutched his staff tightly to his chest. His bright blue eyes were wide in panic.

"Was that today?! Oh god, I'm sorry. I got sidetracked with the kids and didn't want to leave until they were off the lake. C'mon, we can go now so that I can apologize to North and the rest." Jack began walking immediately, passing Bunny completely. He was hovering a few feet in the air before he realized that the bringer of hope and eggs wasn't following after him. Instead, the rabbit was staring intently at the frozen water. Stepping forward, away from Jack, Bunny knelt at the edge and stared at the lake. Where Jack's staff had been, there were beautiful frost fern patterns blooming out across the ice. Layer after layer of them, all laid on top of each other. A paw gently reached out to run over the frosted art before green eyes turned to meet blue.

"What were you doing, Frostbite?"

Jack bit his lip gently and did a one shoulder shrug at the question. Slowly, he drifted to the ground until bare feet touched crunchy leaves. Jack didn't meet Bunny's eyes.

"I was icing the lake is all."

Aster stared at the winter teen with expectant eyes, waiting for more. Jack sighed, his breath leaving in a huff that turned white in the cold autumn air.

"It's cold enough for the lake to freeze during the night and stay frozen during the day. It can get thin on sunny days though," he waved his staff absently at the clear, cloudless sky above him. "Some kids still try to skate though, which can be so dangerous when the ice gets thin like today. I didn't want any of them to fall through and to end up like m—" His jaw closed with a snap.

Aster moved closer to the teen, slowly and carefully, knowing that Jack would flee at any moment if he thought he wasn't safe. Jack was good at that, disappearing when he didn't feel safe. And if Jack didn't want to be found, you didn't find him. Bunny didn't want to scare him off.

"Turn out like who, Snowflake?"

The Guardian of Fun's Adams apple bobbed as he swallowed around his suddenly dry mouth and the large lump in his throat. He stared intently at the ground before straightening and looking Bunnymund in the eye. Bunny didn't like the closed off, blank look in the boy's eyes.

"I don't want any of them to turn out like me." His voice was flat, blank, and painfully cold. Bunny had to suppress a wince.

"You? Why would skating on the ice make them turn out like you?"

Jack glanced at the lake and his eyes went far away, as he remembered something that he wished he didn't. He never thought he'd regret getting his memories back, but now that he had them, he wondered if it was really for the best. The memories of the moments before and during his death would have been something he could have lived without.

"When I was eighteen years old, I took my sister out skating. It was toward the end of the season but I thought that the ice would hold. It had been a mean winter, cold and harsh. We got on the ice and were fine for a few minutes. Then, I heard the first crack," He swallowed again, pausing to hold back the tears gathering in his eyes.

"Pippa was standing on the thinnest part of the ice. It cracked under her. One wrong step and she'd have fallen through. So, I did was any good big brother would do," he looked toward Bunny now, his eyes haunted with the memories of another life, a life he had missed out on.

"You took her place." Bunny's voice came out quiet, strangled. He was tormented by the idea of their little Snowflake dying. Dying cold and alone and _scared. _And then to be brought back with powers that no one could explain. To be brought back to a world that couldn't see you, acknowledge you. To be ignored, abandoned, and given no explanation for any of it. Nausea rolled through his stomach powerfully and it took pure force of will not to throw up right then and there.

Jack was nodding at him with a small, bitter smile on his face.

"Yeah. I took her place, that's what you do for people you love. Pulled her away from the crack and was the happiest I've ever been. She was smiling too, almost as if a dream had come true. I shifted my weight to go and hug her, and then, crack, splash, gone." Distantly, he could hear her voice calling for him, screaming for him, crying for him. His heart squeezed painfully. A bitter smile stretched out over his lips when he glanced up to the sky, where the moon was shyly making his appearance in the sky from behind a cloud. "Next thing I know, I was rising out of the lake. All I got was a name and then _nothing_." He spat the word forcefully, turning his eyes from the moon in anger.

Bunny was at a loss for words. None of the Guardians had ever asked about Jack's memories. They were aware that he had seen them, he had told them as much after Pitch had been defeated, but he had never been forthcoming with information about the memories he had seen. It wasn't until a week after the event that he returned his tooth box to their fairy friend. Frost had told her that he was done looking at his memories, that he'd seen them all and he was satisfied now. She had nodded and accepted the boy with a sad smile and a rub on his arm.

None of them knew that he had… had _died. _All of them were asked to become immortals to protect the children, and they all kept their memories of the lives they lived before becoming Guardians. They had no idea what Jack had gone through, both in this life and the one before it. Guilt came in the form of hot bile in the back of Aster's throat as he looked at the boy in front of him. The boy who had protected children with his life, the boy who survived three hundred years alone with no idea who he was or why he was there, the boy who helped them even when they gave him every reason _not _to.

Aster remembered what he'd said at the meeting, what he'd said about Jack skipping to play with children. Regret, guilt, and shame made his throat tight and his stomach drop. They were always so wrong about Jack. Him in particular.

He reached out before he realized what he was doing, wrapping his long arms around the frozen child they had failed, and pulled the boy to his chest. Jack came easily, accepting and relishing in the touch of another being. The Guardian of Fun rested his back against the broad, furry chest behind him. He sighed quietly. The anger had left him, leaving him feeling drained and sad.

"I always knew something happened here. Well, I didn't _know. _I felt it. Every time anyone was on the lake, I got scared. I'd layer the lake a hundred times to make sure it was as thick as possible. And I'd break it all up in one night so that there was never any thin ice for people to fall through. It makes sense now, but at the time, I was just so nervous and scared. I had to make sure no one fell. I just never knew why."

Aster gave no response. He chinned against Jack's snow white hair and nudged the snow child's temple with his nose. The last of the tension in Jack's shoulders eased and he relaxed fully against the pooka.

All this time, the boy had been protecting people. Not knowing why, not knowing what his purpose was, but just doing it because he had a feeling.

'_We all assumed you were a trouble maker. A no-good, naughty list, holiday ruiner. We were so wrong about you, Snowflake.'_

The two stayed sitting like that for a long time, meeting completely forgotten. Bunny would periodically press kisses to the boys head and temple, and Jack would run his fingers through the fur on Bunny's arms. Jack was the first to move, turning in Bunny's arms to press his forehead against the pooka's.

"Let's go home."

Aster nodded, wrapping his arms around Jack's waist to hold the snow child as he rose to his feet and summoned a tunnel.

And when they went to bed that night, nestled against each other on piles of blankets and pillows, Bunnymund held Jack as close as possible, pressing kisses to the boy's forehead and temples, occasionally pecking him on the lips.

Long after Jack fell asleep, his breath slow and his face nuzzled into Bunny's chest, the pooka was awake. He ran his paws through the boy's hair and down his back, holding him close.

"I'm so sorry, Jackie. I'm so sorry we failed you. I promise you, though, that it will never happen again. You're stuck with us now, bucko." He looked down at the innocent, child-like face, relaxed in sleep, and tears gathered in his eyes. "You'll never be alone again, Snowflake."


	7. Birthdays and Whispers

_Late-November_

"Jack?"

"Hm?" The winter spirit looked up from his book to a nervously twitching Tooth. Her wings were fluttering quicker than usual, if that was possible, giving away her nervousness. The rest of the Guardians were a few feet away, chatting and drinking eggnog. The last meeting of the month had just ended. Jack had intended to stay in the Workshop for a little bit, spend some time with Phil and the elves before heading back to the Warren. He marked his page in his book and looked expectantly at Tooth.

It wasn't often that the fairy queen was nervous. She was a very emotional, outgoing person who tended to just blurt things out before she got a chance to be nervous about something. It was almost comical and a smile pulled at Jack's lips.

"C'mon Tooth, cat got your tongue? What's up?" he joked, hoping to help her relax enough to spill whatever she was going to say. Jack wasn't a patient person and the anticipation was making his stomach turn in excitement.

Tooth wrung her hands in front of her, avoiding his eyes, before she burst.

"When is your birthday?!"

Silence followed her statement. The outburst had caught the attention of the other three in the room, who looked curiously over at the pair. Jack's smile had fallen as he stared wide eyed at the Tooth Fairy.

"W-Why do you want to know, Tooth?"

Tooth looked at him with bright, guilt eyes. "Well, you've been with us for almost two years now. And never once have you mentioned a birthday or have we celebrated it. So, I was just wondering when it was so we could celebrate." She ended the statement with a small, hopeful smile.

Jack looked down at his hands, which were tightly clutching the book in his lap. He knew that if he let the book go, the others would see his hands trembling.

"Its fine Tooth, it's no big deal."

"Of course is big deal!" North boomed, having caught onto the topic of conversation. He strode toward the couch as he spoke. "We must celebrate birthday. Come Jack, when is day?"

"Yeah Frostbite, we wanna know."

Sandy nodded enthusiastically, his sand forming a present and a pointed had above his head.

They all crowded toward the couch, looking at Jack with expectant expressions. The closer they got, the more Jack started to shake.

"No, guys, really it's okay. It doesn't matter." Although he tried to keep his voice light, he could tell his voice was starting to quiver with emotion and he tried to swallow it down.

"We ain't gonna let it go until you tell us, bucko, so you might as well spill," Bunny replied, his arms crossed and his face set in an arrogant smirk. The look alone made Jack snap.

He jumped over the back of the couch, grabbing his staff from its resting place by the hearth as he backed away from them. They stared at him, startled by the sudden movement.

"I don't know when it is, okay?!" he yelled, his staff held in front of him defensively.

They blinked at him, eyes shocked and mouths hanging open. Tooth was the first to move, taking a careful step toward Jack with her hands held in front of her.

"Sweet Tooth, what do you mean you don't know?" She thought every kid knew when their birthday was. It was the most exciting day of a child's year, right up there with Easter, Christmas, and Halloween.

"I _mean, _I don't have one. I don't remember from my human life. And if I wanted to celebrate my _birth _into this life, I couldn't do that either. I don't know what day I rose from the lake," he hissed eyes flashing with hurt and anger.

"And what do you care anyway? Why would knowing my birthday now matter? What about the three _hundred _other birthdays? Did you ever wonder when my birthday was when you were ignoring me all those years?"

That struck a chord in all the Guardians. Shame fluttered through their eyes as they stared sadly, guiltily, at their youngest member. They knew that they had failed Jack all those years. Failed to protect him, failed to help him, failed to be the Guardians they swore to be. And they knew that there was nothing they could do to take away the pain and loneliness of those years. They had thought, though, that Jack was starting to trust them, starting to forgive them, even though they had done nothing to earn either of those things. It was only expected that he'd be hurt and angry with them. Who could blame him?

Jack looked at each of their faces, taking in the looks of guilt and shame and sadness. It helped to dampen his anger, but did nothing to remove the dull ache of loneliness he still felt in his chest.

"Just forget it, Tooth," he muttered before he silently called for the Wind. She came through the window and gently grabbed her winter child in her cool embrace. She pushed the Guardians none-too-gently, showing her distaste for them in that moment. Jack didn't look at them again before he was carried out the window into the light storm outside.

The Guardians watched him leave with an air of defeat. It was quiet in the globe room.

Tooth broke the silence.

Turning swiftly, she lashed out and drove her fist through the ornate hearth. The wood bust crumbled under her fist.

"Toothiana, what are you doing?" North asked, concerned. Tooth didn't show such violence often.

"Look what we did! We failed that child for three hundred _years, _North! He had no one and none of us took the time of day to get to know him. We knew of him, we'd heard his name, we'd all met him at least once. And we didn't do _anything _for him. He was a child, Nicholas, age be damned, that boy died a child and we failed him. What kind of Guardians are we?" Tooth panted as she reached the end of her rant. Large tears gathered in her lavender eyes.

"Can we even call ourselves Guardians after what we did to him?"

Jack sat curled against the trunk of his tree, his hood up and his arms crossed. Embarrassment and shame made frost burn across his face and he hated to admit that tears gathered in his eyes.

'_I can't believe I yelled like that. They probably think I'm crazy now,' _his head fell back against the trunk with a _thud, _his eyes closed. _'They probably hate me now.'_

Finally, _finally, _he had friends and a family and people to love him. And what did he do? Blow up about one silly thing and ruin it all.

In all honestly, the topic of birthdays had always been a sensitive topic for him. It had taken him nearly ten years to understand what the celebration was for and when he did, the ache of loneliness in his chest had throbbed painfully. He couldn't ever remember having a birthday, but that couldn't be right, because it seemed like everyone got a birthday. Even the adults got birthdays. Yet every year, he watched thousands of families and friends celebrate, and every year it reminded him of just how utterly _alone _he was. After a century, he stopped looking in on birthdays, fearing that if he didn't, he'd break.

When Tooth had brought it up, it had rehashed all those old memories of nights spent alone, begging the Moon for anything. Any hint or clue of who he was, a birthday or a purpose. It reminded him of being alone and being ignored and living in silence. Living in a silence where no one sang 'happy birthday'.

He knew he shouldn't have snapped at them. Memories were powerful, though, and the scars they leave don't always heal completely. Those three hundred years had left deep scars, some of which were still fresh and healing. Sometimes the boy wondered if he'd ever get rid of the dull ache in his chest.

It was an hour later when Jack rose from his seated position and stood on the branch. He stretched, popping joints back into place, before his hands fell limply at his sides.

Now was the hard part, going back to the Pole to apologize for blowing up. He could already see their faces in his mind, hard and set in disappointment. The images pulled a groan from his mouth and he wondered briefly if he could just stay at the lake forever. He knew that Aster would come looking for him eventually and he'd rather have this interaction be on his terms. Jumping from the branch, he allowed Wind to catch him and carry him toward the Pole.

"Okay, everything is ready! Now one of us needs to go and get Sweet Tooth."

Sandy, North, and Tooth all looked expectantly at Bunny, who was lounging in a chair near the door. He merely rolled his eyes and hauled himself up out of the chair.

"Be back with Snowflake in a tick."

Just as Bunny was about to leave, Phil came rushing into the dining room. He warbled loudly, looking excited. Everyone looked to North for a translation.

"Ah! Really? Good!" North shooed Phil away before smiling triumphantly at his comrades. "Jack is already here. Phil says he is in globe room waiting."

The three made a move toward the door, but Bunny blocked their path with his entire being.

"Let me, guys. I wanna talk to Frostbite before we bring 'im in here."

Everyone agreed to those terms and Bunny headed for the globe room. He was almost nervous to see his Snowflake, afraid of how he would react and most of all, afraid that he'd still be angry. The pooka stopped outside the globe room to take a deep, steadying breath before he pushed the doors open to face Jack.

The snow child was staring at the moon through the skylight, his hands holding his staff behind his back. Aster couldn't see his face.

"He told me my name." Jack's voice startled Aster.

"That was all he told me though. No birthday, no story, no explanation."

Bunny nodded as he walked toward his lover. They all knew about how Manny had ignored the snow child for three hundred years. The boy didn't show any objection when Aster wrapped his arms around the boy's waist and pulled him close. If anything, Jack leaned into the touch. He laid his arms on top of Bunny's and held them tightly, afraid that they would disappear.

"I'm sorry I yelled earlier. It's just hard sometimes, the memories…" Jack trailed off, his eyes finally falling from the moon and down to the fur on Aster's arms.

The pooka shook his head before pressing a kiss to the crown of Jack's head. "Don't apologize, Jackie. You didn't do anything wrong. You were right, we didn't care and that was wrong of us. We failed you. And you need to know, we are _so sorry, _Snowflake. For all of it." The end was whispered against snow white hair. Bunny could feel cold splashes seeping through the fur on his arms and knew that Jack was crying. He held the boy tighter and buried his muzzle in Jack's soft hair.

"I don't blame you guys. You were busy, I caused messes, I get it. I'm just, it was so _hard _being alone." The words were choked out and half sobbed.

Bunny turned him so that he could hold Jack's arms and look in his face. His spring green eyes were shining with desperation and guilt.

"You should blame us, Jack. We had no right to treat you that way, to ignore you that way. And we'll never be able to make up for that. But you have to know," he pressed his forehead to Jack's and closed his eyes. He said his next words with as much conviction as he could convey. "You will _never _be alone again, Jack. Because… I love you." It was the first time either of them had said it. They had danced around it a bit, they had both almost said it but backed out. At this time, though, it felt right. Jack needed to know that Aster loved him with all his heart, against all odds, and he could never let Jack be alone again.

Jack let a sob fall from his lips before he pressed them firmly to Bunny's. He wrapped his arms tightly around the pooka and clung to him, desperately, afraid that if he didn't hang on, Bunny would walk away. Aster didn't move away, he wrapped his arms around the snow child and held him as tightly as he could without bruising.

They broke away from each other, panting for breath, foreheads pressed together. Tears still lingered on Jack's face.

"I love you too." It was whispered, it was soft, but it was so _there _and so _real _that Bunny couldn't help the helpless laugh that poured from his lips.

"You better," the pooka said jokingly. Jack pressed a kiss to his forehead and whispered against it.

"Oh trust me, I do." Bunny believed him, because Jack Frost was a lot of things, but Jack was never a liar.

The two stayed embraced for a few more minutes before Bunny slowly set Jack on his own two feet. The snow boy looked up at him with a gentle smile that Bunny couldn't help but reciprocate.

"As much as I'd love to just go back to the Warren and relax, we can't just yet." His smile spread as he thought of the surprise he and the rest had set up for their youngest.

Jack looked at his lover with curious eyes, an excited smile slowly blooming on his face.

"What is it?"

"I'll show you." There was a twinkle of mischief in the pooka's voice that only fueled the excitement churning in Jack's belly.

He grabbed the offered paw and followed quickly behind his lover. Aster led him out of the globe room and down the hall toward the dining room where the rest of the guardians were waiting. He could feel his small companion practically vibrating with energy. It made the rabbit smile.

When the stopped in front of the grand double doors, the bringer of Hope could feel the boy deflate.

"The dining room?" Jack couldn't keep the disappointment out of his voice. Not with images of a feast floating through his mind. Not only was food not high on his list of favorite things, a feast wasn't really a surprise. North held several a year. He wasn't going to complain no matter what it was, but he couldn't deny that he'd been hoping something else.

The disappointment in his voice only made Bunny smile. The pooka knew what was behind the doors and knew that it was most definitely not what Jack thought it was.

"Yeah. Now ya gotta close yer eyes, mate. Surprise, 'member?"

Jack obeyed wordlessly, sliding his eyes closed and thrusting his hands into his pocket. His crook stayed nestled in his elbow.

"Good onya, Jackie. You ready?"

Jack nodded.

The doors were pushed open and even with his eyes closed, he could tell that the room was brightly lit.

"Happy Birthday, Jack!" Chorused four loud voices accompanied by the jingling of bells and the warbles of the yetis.

Blue eyes flew open and he gaped at the room in front of him. Brightly colored ribbons and streamers were hung along the banisters and busts that lined the wall. Balloons were inflated and tied to the backs of chairs, some had even floated to flirt with the ceiling. On the table, there was indeed a feast, but it was sweets. Cookies, brownies, cupcakes, fruitcakes (much to Jack's amusement), and largest of all, a three tear birthday cake done up in white and blue frosting. Delicately, there was a single candle on the top.

"Guys… What is all this?" His eyes continued to wander the room, taking in the elves with birthday hats on their normal hats. It was North who stepped forward with wide arms and a bright smile.

"Is birthday celebration! Everyone has one! Today is yours!" There was a twinkle of mirth in his sky blue eyes. It shadowed the waves of guilt rolling through him.

Jack didn't reply. He walked forward and looked at the cake. It was decorated with simple icing snowflakes and in the middle of the lowest tear, it read 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK!" in the same blue icing. He didn't understand why the image was getting blurrier until a tear rolled half way down his cheek before freezing.

"I-I don't know what to say," he stuttered quickly, still staring at his name.

Soft, warm paws held his waist gently. A mouth touched his ear in a gentle kiss before a deep Australia voice whispered, "Don't say anything, Snowflake. Just make a wish."

Jack closed his eyes. He sucked in a deep breath and committed the date to memory.

'_November 22__nd__.'_

With his eyes still closed, he thought of the family around him, the lover behind him, and the cake in front of him. He felt the love, security, appreciation, and warmth that he'd only ever been able to look in on. It was overwhelming, terrifying, huge, but it felt so _right_. He could feel the hole in his chest got a little bit smaller and the ache of being alone lessened just a touch.

In a huge puff, he made his wish and he blew out his candle. His friend, his family, clapped and took turns hugging him affectionately. The cake was cut and served, conversation was had, and a bond was formed. A bond stronger than blood, a bond stronger than time. A bond that would last into eternity.

And the whole time, as he watched them laugh and smile with him, Jack thought about his wish.

'_I wish to make them as happy as they make me.'_

Late that night, the tired couple finally stepped back into the Warren. The eternal spring was dimmed to accommodate their sleep schedule and fireflies greeted them. Googies walked with them as they made their way toward the cottage, obviously curious as to why they'd been gone so long and out so late.

The two almost immediately fell into the nest when they entered their shared room. Jack curled in close to Aster's chest, his hands threaded in soft, thick fur and face nuzzled into his neck.

"Thank you," he whispered against the junction.

Aster held the boy more tightly, his nose buried in white hair and his mouth pressing gentle kisses.

"I love you, Snowflake."

"I love you too, Cottontail."

The night air filled with soft chuckles that tapered off into content hums and the soft breathing of sleep.


End file.
